Friday, October 5, 2007

Last night, I was talking online with a few people when I looked over at the clock and realized it was only 10 minutes to game time. Hockey is back. And it feels good.

The game last night was a tough one. The Avs were shutout, 4-0, as Chris Mason put on a show for the Nashville fans. There were several chances to score, and Mason came up big on every one of them. There's a reason that the Preds could afford to let Vokoun go to Florida.

Positives

Tyler Weinman relieved Peter Budaj in the third period and he looked pretty good. He'll be the third string guy once Theodore comes back, but it's nice to know that we have another young goalie with potential.

The game was our first back-to-back of the season. Fatigue was unavoidable.

The offense skated hard the entire game. I was very happy with that.

Negatives

Special teams! The Avs were 0-2 on the Power Play with ZERO shots on goal. That won't get it done. The Avs seem to be trying to set up the perfect shot. When the Power Play isn't working for a team, you need to go back to the basics. Throw it back to the point and put it on goal. Things happen. The penalty kill was just as bad, as the Avs let up another goal.

Chemistry still isn't there on the Sakic-Smyth-Hejduk line. None of those players have a point this season.

Discipline. The Avs are always one of the most disciplined teams in the league. But taking a penalty in the offensive zone is inexcusable.

The jerseys are awful. Which leads me into my rant...

Rant of the Week

One of the best parts about the NHL is the uniqueness of the jerseys. Thanks to the RBK Edge program, almost every team was given new jerseys. The problem? They aren't unique. There is one simple formula for each one, and colors and logos are simply filled in. The Avalanche have always had one of the best jerseys, but last night, I realized that our new ones are exactly the same as Nashville's. (Great marketing, huh?) The dark ones were decent, but the white ones are awful. They don't look like the Avalanche anymore. And that's my rant.

Next Up:

The San Jose Sharks will come rolling into Denver on Sunday. Colorado gets to see the Broncos, Avs, and Rockies (pending) all in one day. The Sharks lost in their opener against the Oilers via shootout and the game on Sunday is the only one in the NHL.

Three Stars of the Game:

1. Ian Lapperiere (Fight #1...in the books)

2. JaroslavHlinka (Continues to impress, created chances)

3. Tyler Weinman (Played well in his first relief appearance. And no one else deserves this slot)